Nurturing Body Scan: Self-Compassion For Your Physical Body

Today's practice focuses on cultivating self-compassion toward the physical body. We are often unkind to ourselves when it comes to our physical bodies. Today, we will use a body scan that can help us offer self-compassion. Although unkind thoughts may arise, I will help you through them to be more compassionate towards yourself and send love through your body.

Music composed by Narek Mirzaei

Transcript

Hello my friend, Welcome to today's self-compassionate journey through the body. Today's practice guides us through the physical body, One area at a time, While cultivating kindness towards our physical being. Before we begin today's practice, Please note that even though we intend to cultivate compassion towards the body, You may notice that unkind thoughts arise. Many of us have a difficult relationship with certain body parts, So whatever arises is natural. This is something we will work with as part of this practice. Try to let go in the next few minutes. Regardless of what's happening, See if you can allow some self-compassion to flow through your body. See if you can offer a sense of acceptance or even forgiveness if that's necessary. I will help guide you through it. For example, As you pay attention to your feet, You might find yourself thinking, My feet are sore, I don't take good enough care of my body, Or I wish my feet were different. If a thought like this arises, See if you can simply label it as a thought that is not an absolute truth and return your attention to the present moment in which you are focusing on your feet. Another experience you might have is being self-critical due to any unkindness or judgment that might come up. This could sound something like, I don't take good enough care of my body, And here I go being hard on myself again. I can't get it right. Once again, Notice this as just a thought as you tune into your experience with gentleness and curiosity. So take a moment to settle into a comfortable, Alert posture. This meditation can be done sitting up or lying down. Whatever position you're in, Start by noticing the surface beneath you, Allowing the ground to support you. You can also let your eyes close if that feels comfortable for you. Now notice where you might resist being supported, Where you might still be holding yourself up or holding tension. See if just for the next few minutes, You can gently let go and allow yourself to be held by the earth. Let yourself be supported by gravity. Now gathering your attention at your feet, Notice any sensation in this area, Whether discomfort, A sense of relaxation and calm, Or even no sensation. Even nothing is still feeling something. Regardless of what's happening, See if you can allow some self-compassion to flow down to your feet. Be mindful of all that they have supported you in. See if you can offer your feet a sense of acceptance or even forgiveness if that's necessary. See if you can allow your feet to be as they are, No matter how they feel or look. If you're sitting up, Try putting one or two hands on your feet. Imagine a sense of compassion or kindness flowing from your heart through your hands and into your feet. This is all that we're doing, Just allowing a bit of warmth, Some kindness, And some compassion to flow to the feet. Next, Gently shift your focus towards your legs. Again, You might notice resistance, Especially if any parts of your legs, Such as your knees, Have given you problems in the past, Or if there's something about your legs you have often critiqued. If certain thoughts arise about your legs, Notice them and see if you can gently soften them. Then return your attention gently to your legs, Your shins, Calves, Knees, And thighs. See if you can allow a sense of compassion, Warmth, Or maybe gratitude to flow through these body parts. They have done their best over the years, And so have you. See if you can allow a sense of ease, Goodwill, And empathy to seep into your legs, Like tea steeping in warm water. You can even send them love for the knowledge that they will continue to do their job as best they can. Now shift your focus once again to the pelvic area. To the stomach, Digestive organs, Reproductive organs, And seat. Once again, Gently notice anything that might arise when we bring our focus to this area. Allow whatever is there to be there, And see if you can tune into a sense of kindness and even perhaps a letting go in this area. You might place one or two hands on your belly, And see if you can imagine a feeling of unconditional love flowing through them from your heart. Now consider, How would you feel about these body parts if you considered them your friends? What would you say to them? How would you receive them if they were having a hard time? See if you can cultivate a feeling of gentleness and warmth towards the space in your body. You might even speak to these areas, Thank you, I appreciate everything you do, And I wish you ease, Health, And well-being. Then notice what it feels like in the rest of your body to demonstrate kindness towards this region. Now see if you can allow that feeling of warmth and kindness to spread upwards into your chest area. Notice how it feels in your lungs to invite in compassion and acceptance. You might try breathing it in, Allowing your lungs to fill with air. The surface area of your alveoli covers over 1, 000 square feet. See if you can bring a sense of gratitude, Softness, And kind presence to all the cells that help you to breathe in and out. You might also allow your focus to shift gradually to include the heart. The beating heart, The ribcage that protects it, And the muscles all around, Allow this space to fill with a sensation of kindness. Again, If you would like and can, You can use your hands to connect with this area of your body, Putting one hand on your lower chest and one on your upper chest. Giving thanks for the job that these parts of you do every moment of every day, Always doing their best. Noticing again if any self-critical thoughts arise, And see if you can gently let them go. You do not need to force them to leave. Welcome a gentle softening. If you can feel your heartbeat, You can allow each beat to bring you into the present compassion and gratitude. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Allow some of this compassion to melt outwards, Into your shoulders, Down your arms, And into your hands. You are letting these parts soak up the spreading and expanding kindness throughout your body, Allowing them to accept, As best as they can, The compassion that's being offered. Acknowledge that these parts of you, Like the rest of your body, Are doing their best too. Perhaps you have forgotten this in the past, But right now, In this present moment, You are allowing love to flow through. Experience the sensation of your hands, Wrists, Arms, And shoulders simply being, Experiencing, And receiving compassion just for existing, And now allowing the sense of self-compassion to rise right up into your neck, To your jaw area, Your cheeks, Your ears, Your nose, Your forehead, And right into the top of your head. Letting this compassion permeate every cell, Every muscle, Even every tooth. There is nothing you need to do to earn or be worthy of this compassion. There's absolutely nothing about you that needs to change to be worthy of love. This love is available to us at all times. If ever we think we are not enough, We can remember that this is simply a thought pattern we've learned. In the same way, We can learn that we are enough, That we are perfectly imperfect humans worthy of our own compassion and kindness. We can remember always that we are trying our best. We can thank our body and thank ourselves for thanking our body. We can give ourselves time to return to this place that is our home, A place we try to care for physically, Nourishing it with kindness and gentleness. Take just a few more moments here to thank your body exactly as it is right now. When you feel ready, You can slowly open your eyes. Thank you, My friend, For all you do.